


2 Shorts from the Boxes universe

by turps



Series: Boxes [1]
Category: NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-07
Updated: 2011-05-07
Packaged: 2017-10-19 02:49:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/196003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turps/pseuds/turps





	1. Missing scene

Chris wakes fast like always, body trained to jump from sleep to consciousness in seconds. Opening his eyes he rubs at them with his fists then slowly sits up, wincing as his back protests. His shelter is lined with newspaper and cardboard, but it only helps so much and every morning he's sore. Stretching, he brushes his fingers against the stars JC has painted on the roof. Then reluctantly pushes back the blankets before struggling to his knees, body protesting every movement.

"Chris," JC suddenly appears at the shelter door, pushing the plastic aside. He smiles then comes inside, kneeling next to Chris before kissing him gently on the lips.

"Morning gorgeous," Chris says, then kisses JC again. "You're up early."

"I had to finish something, come see." JC is almost vibrating with excitement and Chris laughs as JC crawls outside then immediately looks back inside. "Well, come on then."

"I'm coming, give me a minute," Chris starts to crawl out, standing when he's outside. He stretches again; enjoying the feel of fresh air against his skin, then runs his fingers through his hair, trying to untangle the worst of the knots. JC's nowhere in sight but Joey is cross-legged on the ground, carefully restacking his magazines as Lance and Justin sit side by side, arguing over the answers to a cross-word.

"Hey, Chris," Justin looks up and waves before looking at the puzzle again. Lance doesn't even wave, just looks up and smiles and Chris has to smile too when he sees how they're holding hands.

"Hey," Chris replies then sits down and reaches into his shelter for his boots. Holding one up he examines the hole in the bottom, then pulls it on anyway, making a mental note to find more cardboard to line them with later.

"Chris! Hey, wait!" Chris looks up at JC's shout and stops tying his laces. JC hurries from the corner, then stands hopping from one foot to the other, hands behind his back as he grins happily.

"What's up?" Chris asks at last, when it looks like JC is going to remain silent.

"I've got you something," JC says, showing Chris the boots he was hiding. Originally black, now they're covered in pink flowers and green leaves that conceal almost every inch of the leather. The colours are almost neon bright and Chris is sure he can see glitter on there too. They're showy, beautiful and something that Chris would never think of wearing. He stares at them as JC talks.

"I was walking past this house. You know the white one with the bird hedges at West St. Someone had thrown them in the garbage just because they were a little scuffed. Can you imagine that? Throwing perfectly good clothes away. They looked like your size so I took them from on top of the trash can and brought them back. I used the paints you got for my birthday, I was going to do them black but they looked so drab so I painted a flower and flowers need leaves and.you don't like them." JC's smile fades as he looks at Chris and he starts to turn.

"Hey, where're you taking my boots," Chris reaches for JC and hooks his leg, holding it tight. "I love them, thank you."

JC smile returns and he gracefully drops to the floor in front of Chris and starts to help him on with the boots, humming happily before looking up. "I can paint them black if you want."

"Don't you dare," Chris replies, shivering as JC runs a finger across the bottom of his foot. "I love them."

Deftly tying a lace, JC doesn't reply, just double knots the bow then leans forward and kisses Chris quickly on the lips before jumping to his feet. Chris stands more slowly, then looks down at his feet. He imagines what he must look like, black t-shirt, black jeans and boots that look like an explosion in a jungle. He grins at the mental image then laughs when he sees Justin and Lance looking at him with barely hidden amusement.

Chris winks at them then links hands with JC, he's well aware of how he looks, but he doesn't care. He loves his boots and with every step he's reminded of how much JC loves him, and that's worth more than any future teasing.


	2. Dolphin

It's late and elongated shadows stretch across the ground as festival goers chatter and slowly walk past the colourful stalls that line the boardwalk. Bright flags flutter from ornate iron poles and the smell of food mixes with the ocean, creating an atmosphere that Chris wishes he could stay in forever.

He smiles at his audience, enjoying their applause and smiles more as coins are dropped in his hat.  Crouching, he tips them into his hand, then into his pocket, where he can feel them heavy against his leg, a physical reminder that they'll eat tonight. With a last smile to the retreating crowd, he pulls a bottle of water from JC's bag and sits on the low wall, enjoying the heat that radiates from the concrete as he gulps almost half the bottle until his throat doesn't feel as scratchy and dry. Singing for hours in the sun is taxing that way'

Carefully tightening the lid on the bottle, Chris pushed it back into the sunflower bag  and hooks it over his shoulder before standing on the wall and walking along a few feet. From here he can look down at the sidewalk where JC's been working without the crowds of people blocking his view like they have done all day.

There are only two stragglers left so Chris can easily see, and he gasps a little when the full impact of the drawing hits. Waves fill the sidewalk, deep blue and sparkling with two dolphins jumping through the air, so real that Chris imagines diving from the wall into the cool blue depths before shaking his head at his own imagination.

"You like?"

'JC has stopped shading the edge of one final wave to look up at him and is waiting for Chris' reaction. As usual he's covered in chalk, blue streaks across his cheek bone and nose, green patches across his yellow t-shirt. His hair is loose today and Chris laughs when he pushes it back behind his ears leaving behind another streak of blue.

"You know I like," Chris says, and he jumps down next to JC and kneels so he can see the picture up close. "Have you even seen a dolphin?"

JC smiles a little at Chris' question, then starts to runs his fingers across the biggest dolphin's back, gently smudging the colours. "I've seen them in story books, my mom used to tell me this story about a dolphin looking for his family. He was alone at first but found them in the end. That's the closest I've been, the rest's imagination." JC taps his forehead, and Chris has to laugh when he leaves behind a grey spot.

"You're hopeless," licking his thumb, Chris rubs at JC's skin, laughing and ignoring the protests until the mark's gone.

"You suck, Kirkpatrick," JC says, and he quickly looks around before moving forward and licking a stripe along Chris' jawbone. "That's how you clean someone's face."

"Really, I'll have to tell Joey that when we get home," Chris jokes. He lifts his t-shirt, exposing his stomach, and uses it to scrub at his face but knows he's not hiding how much the touch affected him, especially when JC deliberately licks his own lips with a knowing smile. Trying to distract himself, Chris picks up JC's hat, happy at the amount of coins it contains. "We'll have to go soon if we want to eat before finding somewhere to sleep. Because we're not going back to that field again, not while those cows are there anyway."

"I liked the cows, they liked you too," JC laughs as he speaks and Chris glares at him a little before reaching for some chalks.

"I'm sure they did but I don't like an audience when I'm sleeping with you, so we'll move somewhere else tonight."

"Sure." JC agrees with a last loud laugh, then stops Chris putting the last chalks in the bag. "I need to finish, five minutes okay?"

Chris looks at the picture again, it looks perfect to him but he knows there'll be some detail that JC just _has_ to add even though they'll walk away and never see it again. About to hand over the blue chalk he's surprised when JC holds up his hand.

"You do it."

Confused, Chris shakes his head and tries to hand over the chalk again. "JC, I can't draw, you know that. Plus I've no idea what you want doing, I'll just spoil it."

"No you won't," JC sounds determined, and he grabs Chris' hand so the chalk's pressed between both their fingers. "He needs some shading here, under his belly where the water's darker." JC moves their hands as he talks, confidently colouring with quick easy movements. "See, it looks good, you won't spoil anything, you can't."

About to make a wisecrack, Chris stops when JC looks at him through narrowed eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm drawing. No need for that look." JC seems satisfied at the words and loosens his hold a little, then drops Chris' hand entirely.

"JC" Chris says worriedly, but he keeps on shading, using precise strokes that leave behind a shadow of blue. The chalk feels good in his hand, warm against his skin but it's JC's expression of happiness as he leans forward and whispers _See, I knew you could do it_ , that makes Chris feel so great.

They finally finish as the sun disappears over the horizon and quickly write their names against the darkest blue of the ocean. Standing, they look at the picture that's taken JC all day to create, then walk away, hip to hip without a backward glance. It'll be gone soon, faded by the rain and ocean spray, but that doesn't matter. It's there now, evidence of something they finished together, and that's a memory that can never be washed away.


End file.
